Sub:- Mandatory filing of Advance Filing of Bill of Entry in case of LCL cargo also – Reg.

Attention of all the Importers, Exporters, Customs Brokers, and the member of the Trade is invited to the Public Notice No.55/2011 dated 11.04.2011 and Public Notice No.164/2016 dated 30.11.2016 wherein the procedure of Advance filing of Bill of Entry is prescribed and it is made mandatory to file Advance Bill of entry in case of FCL cargo and it was advised to file Advance/Prior Bills of Entry in case of LCL cargo respectively.

2. Study of the time taken by the various stakeholders in the import clearance procedure has revealed that delay on the part of the importers in filing the Bills of Entry is one of the major factors in overall delay in clearances of the imported consignments.

3. As a measure to ensure faster clearances, reduce dwell time of cargo and as a step towards ‘Ease of Doing Business’, it is now decided that advance /prior filing of Bills of Entry in the ICES system for LCL cargo will also be mandatory with effect from 01.01.2017.

4. As regards, the concerns of the trade that, there may be requirement of amendment in the IGM/Documents and likely delay in approval of such amendment, in case of Advance/Prior Bills of Entry, it is clarified that the procedure for amendment has already been streamlined vide Public Notice 47/2016 dated 15.03.2016. Further, efforts have been made to sensitize Shipping Lines to file IGM correctly so that there should not be any need for seeking amendment. In spite of that, if there is need for amendment due to error on the part of Shipping Line, then amendment will be approved and clearances would be allowed on the basis of amendment. Penalty may be imposed on Shipping Line for negligence/errors and such penalty will be recovered from Shipping Line only either before or after clearances of the goods. Importers are also assured that they would not be subjected to penalty for error in IGM and consignment will not be withheld for wasn’t of payment of penalty amount, if any

5. Further, it is again being assured that any amendment in an Advance/Prior Bills of Entry would be done within two hours of the request being submitted along with all the requisite documents.

6. All the Bills of Entry, filed as Advance/Prior Bills of Entry, will be granted enhanced facilitation.

6. Difficulties, if any, faced in implementation of these instructions may be brought to the notice of the undersigned.